Defining Moments
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: Discontinued Sikowitz assigns the students to do a speech on their defining moments in their life and every one has a topic. Read about a defining moment in each student's life and one in Sikowitz's life
1. Andre LOCK THE DOOR

_Disclaimer: It's not mine (though it it were that would be fine)

* * *

_

Mom always told me to lock the door to the house when I was alone with my little sister. I forget 4 times. The first time I got a lecture and a stern explanation of why I needed to do that. The second time I got grounded for a week. The third time I got a spanking.

_You would think that would be enough to teach me but even the sting of the swats didn't make me remember. It would cost my sister her life. I had forgotten to lock the door one day thinking it was no big deal. That was when it happened. I was helping Helena with her homework when a crazed man opened the door._

_I grabbed my sister hiding her behind me so she wouldn't be harmed. _

"_I'm calling the police," I threatened._

_That wasn't the brightest thing in the world. The man saw my sister and grabbed her. _

"_You call the police," he said, "and the little girl gets it"_

_Without saying another word he shot Helena. She fell to the ground in agony. After that this man made his escape. I knelt by my sister while I called for an ambulance. The whole ride to the hospital I was crying and begging GOD not to take my sister._

_Mom and dad met us at the hospital where Helena was immediately taken into surgery. They asked me what happened and I told them. Both of them comforted me and let me know it wasn't my fault. It could have happened to anyone and that they still loved me. When I walked away to go to the bathroom I overheard my dad tell my mom that I should be punished and she said that I've been punished enough._

_My sister was in surgery for 72 hours. Eventually the doctor came out and told us that she had made it through but with some serious repercussions. She would never see again. She wouldn't be able to walk. She would never be able to feed herself._

_If there's one lesson I learned from this defining moment it is that __**life **__is hard enough when you __**do **__listen to your parents. Don't complicate matters by NOT listening to them. Don't think you know better then your parents. There is a reason they tell you things. Thank you"_

* * *

Class project: Defining moments

Student: Harris, Andre

Topic assigned: Regrets

Grade for assignment: A+

Teacher's comments: Well done young man


	2. Beck I WON'T LET HIM WIN

_I don't know what I was thinking when I said it. Actually, I take it back. I do know what I was thinking. I __**wasn't**__ thinking. I was angry._

_Jade and I had just gotten into another fight. Looking back now I could see that it was my fault. I was kind of edging her on and I said something… I don't' even remember what it was but it was something I wish I hadn't said. Normally she would make a comment like, "I'm rubber you're glue anything you say bounces of me and sticks to you" or "no I don't, you do" Instead she got __**deadly **__quiet._

_She walked to the ledge of the school. _

"_JADE," I yelled, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"_

_She turned slowly to me._

"_I have to do this Beck," she said, "I'm not ever going to feel like I did that day… not ever again."_

_I grabbed her and pulled her back._

_"Jade," I said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I was just playing around"_

_She slapped me upside the head._

"_It isn't funny," she said_

_I grabbed her hand._

"_Come on," I said, "You have to go back to that place"_

'_I CAN'T," she yelled at me._

"_YES YOU CAN," I told her firmly, "AND YOU WILL. THAT PRICK HAS BEEN CONTROLING YOU FAR TO LONG"_

_"BECK I CAN'T FACE THE PLACE WHERE I WAS ALMOST KILLED IN"_

_I gathered her into a hug._

"_We'll only be in there a second," I told her, "and I will be with you the whole time."_

_She seemed less then thrilled about the whole idea but I knew this had to happen. I wasn't going to lose my Jade to anything ESPECIALLY a fear she cannot overcome._

_"You're just lucky I love you," she told me._

"_That's not luck," I told her, "I worked hard to get you to love me and I'd do it again in a heartbeat."_

_Jade was mad at me for a little while but she managed to feel a sense of relief when she stepped in that room and saw that nothing happened 2 her._

"_Thank you Beck," she told me, "Now let's get the hell out of here."_

_I had my Jade back. _

* * *

Class Project: Defining Moments

Student: Oliver, Beck

Topic Assigned: Determination

Grade for Assignment: A-

Teacher's comments: Good job Beck but I had to take off two half letter grades for the use of the 2 instead of to. We are not supposed to write internet chat. Also you didn't put emotion in your voice when you gave this assignment so you appeared to simply be telling a story. All in all I am impressed with your work. Again good job.


	3. Cat I'M NO DIFFERENT THEN YOU

_The school website messed up where it talks about my family. They said that Kenny is my __**older**__ brother. He is actually my __**younger**__ brother. He is also the reason I am alive today. I believe I am the reason he has a learning disabiility._

_Kenny was only 3 weeks old when it happened. Mom and dad had let me hold him. I didn't know what happened to me. I had a seizure. I dropped him._

_My parents rushed both Kenny and I to the hospital. Kenny was alright but a CT scan revealed that I had a six pound brain tumor. I was six so I guess the tumor must have gained a pound each year I was alive. Weird huh? Like how they call driveways, driveways even though you walk on them. _

_Anyway my tests came back and it was positive. You know I don't know why they call it positive. Positive are supposed to be good things. Positive are supposed to be things like kittens and tea parties and red velvet cupcakes. Red velvet cupcakes YAY!_

_Anyway having this illness has defined who I am. People don't see me when they look at me. They automatically assume I can't do this or that or anything else because I happen to be sick. One time I was with a group of people who messed up and they got in trouble and I didn't. Everyone understood because of my condition._

_I don't want to be defined as the girl with the brain tumor. I want to be known as the fun loving girl who loves red velvet cupcakes and sometimes yells WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN! I want to be the girl who makes a difference. I want to be known as the girl who is energetic and caring. I don't like that people stare at me from like 3 inches away when I'm holding a baby because they think I'm going to drop the kid. _

_Here's the deal, if you're going to be cool with me be cool with everyone or don't be cool with me. I like the cool weather by the way. I don't like it to be too cold or too hot. But don't treat me any different because I'm not. I'm still the same old… no young Cat I've always been_

* * *

_Class project- Defining moments _

_Student- Valentine, Cat_

_Topic assigned- Health_

_Grade- Triple A+_

_Teacher's comments- You kept your speech interesting and added in some humor to make what would be a serious topic slightly humorous. You got your point across and you didn't do internet chat in your essay. _


	4. Jade LEARNING TO BE STRONG

_Beck was always my rock. He was always the one that I could count on when I felt like I was lost and all alone. He was the ying to my yang. He was the strength to my weakness. I didn't know the day would come where I had to be his strength._

_ We were on a date one night. We had passed by the movie theater and Beck started shaking and crying. I asked him what was going on but he couldn't speak. We quickly walked passed the movie theater. He was finally able to speak enough to explain what freaked him out like that._

_ Several years ago I had been attacked in room 10D. I almost lost my life. What I didn't know was that 3 weeks ago from that particular day he was attacked in the same fashion. He explained that's why he wasn't able to communicate so well. He needed time to pull himself together.  
I was stunned hearing that news. My first thought was WHY DIDN'T HE TELL ME. I could have gotten him through this. He was always so strong for me now I had to be strong for him. Did I know how to be strong?_

_ I didn't know I had the strength I needed to be strong for Beck. Hell, I didn't even know I had the strength I needed to be strong for me. The day came when I had to be. Beck was falling apart._

_ He decided we needed a mini-breakup. It would only be a week so that he could pull himself together. He used another reason but I knew what was going on. I had to put my foot down. _

_"Look Beck I know what you're feeling right now. I've been where you are right now but you can't push the people who love you away. They're not EVER going to stop. We're going to get through this together and we'll take it nice and slow and step by step like you did for me when I went through a tough time but I am NOT going to give up on you and on us and on our relationship even for a second" _

_ I wasn't saying it to manipulate Beck. Beck had always been strong for me. Now it was my turn to be strong for him. Going through a tough time is something that never goes away but with the support of people who love you it __**does **__get better. That would be the turning point in my life… being able to turn someone else's life around._

Class project: Defining moments

Student: West, Jade

Topic assigned: Learning to be strong

Grade for assignment: A

Teacher's comments: That was an impressive report Ms. West but it would have been better if you provided the details such as what he went through.


	5. Rex Turning Tragedy Into Triumph

_ My name is Rex. I was born Rex Shaperio. I thought that my life was great. I had Robbie who was six years older then me and Mariya who was 13 years older then me. They spoiled me rotten. One day Robbie, who was twelve at the time took me to the carnival._

_ He told me to slow down. I was running too far ahead. But I was just a little boy. I couldn't or wouldn't listen. I was murdered that day. If I had only listened to my big brother I would still be alive. I don't mean in the body of a puppet. This year I made a goal for myself._

_ Bitterland isn't a pretty place to be. I don't like it. I don't like living in my anger. I don't like the mess... and there is anger and mess in every place EXCEPT the right place. There bitterness doesn't exist. There anger doesn't exist. I have decided that I'm going to get to the right place. I love my brother. I love my friends. I love my family but since I died I had no reason to live. Being in the right place is the reason I have now._

* * *

__

Class project: Defining moments

Student: Powers, Rex

Topic assigned: Turning Tragedy Into Triumph

Grade for assignment: A

Teacher's comments: Rex I know you can make it to the right


End file.
